


Take From Me and Give to You

by Zillabird



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, Off-screen, Prompt Fill, Robin Hood References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 08:53:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11802693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zillabird/pseuds/Zillabird
Summary: For the prompt: Reading together, from samaelstoker.When Dick finally finds something to bond over with Jason, the chance to follow through is stolen. Jason knows and Jason appreciates it. He'll be back.





	Take From Me and Give to You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [samaelstoker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/samaelstoker/gifts).



> This was a gift for a friend, samaelstoker.
> 
> Samael,
> 
> This is a bit sadder than I was hoping to be able to give to you, but hopefully there's enough hope there to make it cheerful. Smile, doll. The world will be a better place for it.

“Whatcha doing?”

Jason peeked his nose over the book and narrowed his eyes at the man in the doorway. How someone could be so damn beautiful and still be that much of an asshole, Jason would never know. Dick had managed to live up to his name every time that Jason had met him, no matter how often the man came to the Manor assuring Jason that _this time_ he was really going to try to mend fences. Jason’s eyes lowered back to the book, finding the line he’d left off on and replying, “Jacking off, can’t you tell?”

“You have a vile mouth,” Dick said.

“I’m not the one putting every paycheck in the swear jar,” Jason said.

The footsteps warned Jason that Dick had somehow gotten the impression that Jason wanted him closer and was approaching. “Touché. I guess I can’t argue that one.”

“You argue everything else,” Jason said. He flipped the page, rolling his eyes when Dick slid down the wall to sit behind him. “You just can’t take a hint, can you?”

“I’m sorry,” Dick said.

“I’ve heard that before,” Jason muttered.

Dick sighed. “I mean it, Jason.”

“I’ve heard that before too,” Jason said.

“You could meet me halfway here,” Dick said. “I’m trying. I know things haven’t been easy but this isn’t easy for me either.”

The worst part was that Jason couldn’t blame him. When Jason had taken Robin, he hadn’t realized what that meant. He knew about the bad guys and the danger, he knew that there had been a Robin before him. Bruce had never bothered to tell him what the name and the costume meant to his predecessor. That it was more than a name and a mask and a poorly designed fashion statement. It was a history and a family and a name that meant that you were loved. Bruce had stripped Dick of that and then given it to Jason.

What might could have been done with love, Jason felt like a thief for taking. He’d never known that he was taking something like that but it didn’t change the twisted sense of guilt in his gut every time the subject came up.

“I know it’s not,” Jason said. “Must suck to be replaced.”

“You didn’t replace me,” Dick said.

Jason slammed the book down on his legs, spine following the dip between his thighs. “What? I’m not good enough to be Robin? Is that it?”

Dick scoffed. “I didn’t say that at all. You’re an amazing Robin, Jason. Maybe a bit impulsive and a bit reckless but I can’t pretend that I didn’t make the same mistakes. What I mean is that you didn’t replace me. You’re your own person. You have your own place in this family that doesn’t have to be the same one that I occupied. When I first realized that he’d taken you in, I _did_ feel replaced but that’s on me and not on you.”

“Doesn’t stop you from being a dick, Dick,” Jason said.

“No,” Dick admitted. “It doesn’t. But I’m only human and I’m not going to be great at everything. You get under my skin and it’s irritating, but I’m not used to having a little brother.”

“Fuck off,” Jason muttered. Dick cleared his throat and pointed towards the swear jar, sitting on the edge of the table on the other side of the room. Jason rolled his eyes and stomped over, pulling out a crumpled buck and tossing it in before taking his seat again. “Worth it.”

“I’ve seen cactuses less prickly than you,” Dick said.

“You don’t have to sit next to me,” Jason reminded him.

“That’s not what I meant,” Dick said. “Do you have to push me away every time I try to bond with you?”

“Have you ever heard of a defense mechanism?” Jason asked.

“Have you ever heard of being less of an asshole?” Dick countered. “Jason, please just shut up for a second. Let me apologize and bond with you for Christ’s sake.”

“You apologized already and now you’re just interrupting my reading time,” Jason said.

Dick fell silent, head falling back against the wall and closing his eyes. Jason expected him to leave, that’s what he usually did if their disagreements didn’t lead to them screaming at each other, slamming doors, and a whole lot of donations to the swear jar. Instead, he asked, “What are you reading?”

“War of the Worlds,” Jason answered reluctantly. “It’s about aliens.”

“Aliens, huh?” Dick asked. “You get into that kind of stuff?”

“I like books,” Jason said. “And War of the Worlds is a classic.”

Dick’s lips twitched. “You know what else is a classic?”

“What?” Jason asked.

“Robin Hood,” Dick said.

“So?” Jason asked, eyes flickering over Dick’s face in an attempt to get a read on him. “I wouldn’t think you’d like that. Bruce’s Golden Boy doesn’t exactly strike me as a steal from the rich and give to the poor.”

“If you promise not to tell Bruce, sometimes I still think about it,” Dick said. “I wanted to be Robin Hood when I was younger. Bruce doesn’t get it because he’s never _been_ poor but I do. I stole a copy from the library in… I think it was Miami, honestly. Somewhere south for sure. I read the thing cover to cover until the covers were practically falling off. Have you ever read it?”

Jason chewed his cheek before shaking his head.

“When you get done with that one,” Dick said. “You should read it. I took the copy from here when I moved out, don’t tell Bruce _that_ either, but I could probably swing a copy by for your birthday. Be sixteen here in a couple of months, right?”

“I don’t turn sixteen until August, you moron,” Jason said. “It’s March.”

“Then I’ll get you a copy in August, alright?” Dick said.

“Whatever,” Jason muttered.

The book, an expensive early edition of the story that would fit right in with Jason’s small collection of expensive first edition copies of classics on the boy’s bookshelf, sat wrapped in brown paper and tied up with a string at the bottom of Dick’s dresser for nearly five months after Jason died.

The day was hot and muggy, settling in the lungs and covering Dick’s skin with a thin sheen of sweat. He walked the path out, stepping between the stones with care, and then stopped in front of a bare stone with the name Jason Todd engraved.

Dick cleared his throat, looking around and spotting a few grieving visitors in the distance. Assured of his privacy, he took a seat beside Jason’s grave. “I should have visited sooner, Jason. I’m sorry about that. I didn’t actually know until I got back and then…” It was too much. “But I’m here now.”

He pulled the wrapped present out, setting it in his lap. He looked it over and then opened it. “Happy Birthday, Jason. This is probably kind of stupid but…” He cleared his throat again and then flipped open to the first page. “In merry England in the time of old, when good King Henry the Second ruled the land, there lived within the green glades of Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham Town, a famous outlaw whose name was Robin Hood. No archer ever lived…”

~~~

Dick flipped on the lights to his bedroom. His limbs nearly refused to move, exhaustion keeping them heavy and dense feeling. He struggled out of his suit, kicking it over to the door and forgetting out it in the same seconds. He dropped onto the bed and then cursed. Lifting his head up, and rubbing the back of it to ease the sharp soreness from bumping it against something, he twisted. In the folds of his unmade blankets, Dick found the copy of his Robin Hood out. He’d misplaced it about six months ago, usually taking it during August to Jason’s grave and reading from it for several hours. He’d had to buy a new copy this year when he’d suddenly been unable to find his but that copy was out in the living room on the bookshelf. There was no way the old copy had somehow magically found its way into his bedroom.

Dick opened it, starting when a twenty and change fell out of the cover onto the bed. He pressed the page down, reading the script written on the first page.

_Dickie,_

_You’re right. This was good. I’m sorry I took yours. I didn’t realize that you still needed it until I saw you out at the cemetery. Here’s the money your new one cost to make up for the theft._

_I’ll see you soon._

_J._

Dick’s fingers tightened around the book and he was filled with new life as he bolted to the window and pried it open, looking out into the city and trying to make out a watching shadow. There was no telling how long ago Jason had left this, however, and he was probably long gone.

Alive, but somewhere far out of Dick’s vision. For now. Dick would find him and bring him home.

On the other side of the street, Jason watched from just behind a gargoyle as Dick peered out the window. He’d found the book then. Good. Jason waited until the window closed again before pulling out a cigarette, lighting it up and then stepping away from the ledge to take care of business.

**Author's Note:**

> [Find Zillabird on tumblr here.](http://www.zillabird.tumblr.com)


End file.
